My SIL, a vegetarian, is marrying a hardcore meat lover. Her tastes are pretty refined, she likes the fancy stuff, veggie filled meals, etc. He is a frozen pizza kind of guy who LOVES cheese. I'm trying to find a vegetarian cookbook that would satisfy both tastes (this might be difficult). I gave her several vegan cookbooks last year and she loved them, but finds it difficult to find recipes her future dh also enjoys.

What would you all recommend as a good cookbook to give her for Christmas. Perhaps a good Italian cookbook...I want something pretty comprehensive--lots of recipes. I'm at a loss. I've heard good things about the Moosewood cookbooks. The cookbook does not have to be vegan either. Would love lots of suggestions!!!

There's also the Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook by Robin Robertson.

And I think How to Cook Everything Vegetarian fits the bill, too. The author isn't vegetarian, so I think the recipes are slanted in this direction. No nooch, little seitan or tofu (and those are the weakest recipes in the book), but lots of beans, grains, vegetables, and pasta.

I bought this book when I went vegetarian, and I still use it pretty often. It's fancy-looking with a lot of really nice recipes for pasta and stir fry dishes in particular- but it's got a bit of everything. It also relies pretty heavily on fresh produce rather than meat substitutes (which would at least suit her). And a lot of the recipes are vegan or easily veganisable, in case she decides to head down that path.

There's also the Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook by Robin Robertson.

This! It's technically a vegan book, but in recipes that call for cheese she says to use dairy or soy cheese.

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i'm kind of going in another direction with my recommendation but it's worth a shot.i LOVE the millennium cook book it has some amazing dishes and really great pizza recipeshttp://www.millenniumrestaurant.com/res ... kbook.htmlit's kind of fancy but there's nothing too difficult and the flavors are amazing, not a lot of fake out type of dishes but the omni's i know tend to like fancier veggie fare then when we try to mimic their favorite non-vegan things

in fact i have a omni friend that sounds a lot like a friend of mine and he's enjoyed everything i've made from the cookbook-- granted he brags that he's gonna go home and eat a steak to round it all out but he still enjoys the meal

Eat, Drink and Be Vegan is another one that I think is generally pretty appealing to people who are a little wary of vegan food. When I've needed a vegan, gluten-free dish for a mixed crowd I've made the mexican tortilla lasagna thing many times, and I don't think people give much thought to it being vegan. A lot of the dishes seem both familiar and creative.

I trick my hardcore-meateater extended family and friends not in vegan food ("ewwww") but in exotic food - you guess it: falafel, spinakopita, thai curries, caribbean jump ups, indian specialities....So I vote for a cookbook with recipes from other parts of the world, e.g Indian Vegan Kitchen or Vegan Fire and Spice or Carribean Vegan.

I trick my hardcore-meateater extended family and friends not in vegan food ("ewwww") but in exotic food - you guess it: falafel, spinakopita, thai curries, caribbean jump ups, indian specialities....So I vote for a cookbook with recipes from other parts of the world, e.g Indian Vegan Kitchen or Vegan Fire and Spice or Carribean Vegan.

I agree, go for cultural cuisine other than what you are used to. Usually tricks them every time.

Has anyone suggested American Vegan Kitchen? I just got it earlier this week, so I haven't cooked from it yet... But it's a good variety of comfort food favorites. Maybe that would be a good mix for them?